The stunning KTM E-SPEED is all about urban mobility, a state-of-the-art electric scooter concept by Austrian motorcycle manufacture KTM.
Its distinctive design follows the KTM FREERIDE E concept, in terms of battery and driver concept, but it was also designed with urban transportation in mind. After the “Freeride-E Concept” KTM once again aims to prove that electric mobility can be combined with lightweight design, playful agility, and great riding dynamics in a single motorized two-wheeler.
While mobility is usually associated with utility, young customers deserve the fun and sportiness that KTM stands for. The E-SPEED proofs the consistency of KTM design in a different product category. Says Gerald Kiska, KTM chief designer.
The study is about utilizing electric drive for urban transportation, while at the same time maintain the sexy look and sporty image of the iconic KTM motorcycles. If we say the words “electric scooter” what springs to mind? A retro-styled off-brand offering from China? A plush maxi-sized conveyance for mature riders? Anything except, we imagine, the E-Speed concept from KTM. That is exactly the point of the concept, to combine flexibility, convenience and ease of transportation, with sporty feel and beautiful design.
Built lean, with its aluminum battery enclosure doubling as the main chassis component, the KTM E-Speed Electric Scooter does not just look sporty, it embodies it.
It is powered by a liquid-cooled, permanent-magnet synchronous motor with 36Nm of maximum torque and a permanent power of 11kW to drive the rear wheel via a belt drive (that is the equivalent of 14.75 horsepower). The punchy electric motor helps it reach 85 kilometers per hour (53 miles per hour) top speed, while the acceleration is fast, smooth and totally linear. Moreover, of course it is utterly silent, courtesy of its pure electric drive. The E-Speed concept is quiet enough to not interfere with the sweet nothings it whispers to your inner hoon.
The power source is 4.36-kWh lithium battery, running at over 300 volts. Range-wise this translates to 60 km (37.28 miles) and charge time from empty to full is two hours on a regular 220V socket. The 576 individual 18650-type cells are good for 1.000 full charge cycles.
The KTM “E-SPEED” does indeed have sporting ambitions, as witnessed by the concept’s chassis and styling. Thanks to unique technical solutions, the net weight is just 140kg. This helps the sexy electric scooter to accelerate rapidly, it can be flicked through urban traffic with great agility, besides running nearly silently and completely free of emissions
Suspension and peripheral equipment have little in common with typical scooters and stay true to KTM’s sporty tradition. The electric motor is completely encapsulated inside an aluminum casing with integrated cooling fins. the KTM E-SPEED uses front and rear mono-swingarm suspensions with quality components made by premium suspension component supplier WP (White Power). The rear swing arm acts on the WP shock via a linkage, while the front wheel is suspended from a single-sided front fork also made by WP.
Aerodynamic polymer slats protect the rider’s feet and legs from the weather while guiding cool air toward the batteries. Daytime running lights and the high beam use cutting-edge LED technology, while the seat rests on a lightweight but strong polymer support without any kind of metal reinforcement. It comes with regenerative brakes with 220mm discs, and ABS, while the orange colored 14-inch alloy wheels round off the stylish KTM E-SPEED concept.
The question remains, though: will the KTM E-Speed Electric Scooter become commercially available? KTM CEO Stefan Pierer says: “We at KTM are completely convinced of electric mobility as a perfect complement to conventional powertrains. In the long term, the electric drive will come out on top for short distances particularly in areas which are highly sensitive from an environmental perspective, like open nature and densely populated metropolitan areas.”
We are unsure if we will see the KTM E-Speed Electric Scooter into production anytime soon, yet it remains a brilliant design concept. In our eyes, “E-SPEED” elevates the classic electric scooter concept to a new level and fulfills the requirements of sporty, urban mobility in a contemporary manner.
